Caught in the Act

She was glad that Rio took the initiative. The direct attack giving her a chance to sure up her stance. Yuigiri's entire body dedicated itself to stillness, her Hakuda technique called Seishi to take the blow with only a small flinch before retaliating, she had to show she could take a hit and it meant that Rio was now close enough for her to execute a series of strikes that targetted her more vulnerable points to interrupt any followup she had in mind.

Once her violent dragon technique had been used and if Rio was still recovering from the fact Yugiri took the blow then she gave her family a one-inch punch to try and send her a good distance away. Even if it was successful though she reached up and kneaded the flesh of her chest. Maybe she should not have been that audacious to let it connect with the soft tissue of her chest. That was a bit too much showing off.

"Seishi. Mōryū and Hensha. Let's see how you've kept up with your other fields."

She said, naming her specific techniques she used and grinning. Her spiritual pressure rose before a blast of blue errupted from her back which gave the image of butterfly wings for a minute and then formed into an array of blue discs.

"This is my special kidō, Yugiridō #3 - Chōdan Bakugeki"

Pointing at Rio all the discs shot spells equivalent to shakkaho, filling the space between them with blasts of blue that all converged on Rio's spot. Her chuuni was beginning to show. Had she really just made a category of orginal spells as a child and called them "Way of Yugiri"? Yes. Yes, she had.

Rio's eyes widened in awe as she felt her strike connect. For rather than gaze at her sister being sent a few meters back, she was standing before a woman who remained stalwart and unfazed. This momentary lapse in movement allowed Yugiri to seize momentum away from the Shihoin Aegis.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Yugiri launched a series of strikes towards the vulnerable parts of her body. Even though each strike felt painful, Rio thanked the heavens that her durability as a warrior allowed her to maintain her balance.


She quickly brought up her arm to deflect the last strike but felt a surprising force behind it that sent her stumbling a few meters backward. She marveled at how impeccable her technique was as she felt very sore in her arm.

Rio heard the techniques listed and only found herself even more excited at continuing this spar with her sister. Maybe the Flash Blossom could even teach her a thing or two in the process.


Still, Yugiri hardly gave Rio anytime to prepare a counter as she cast a Kido spell that formed an array of discs in the space between them. Hearing the name, she stifled a chuckle at how she named it. Yugirido? Her sister was so precious. She didn't have time to really dote on that preciousness right now, though. She couldn't even conjure up her own kido spell in time.

Rio was admittedly in need of practice in the art of kido. She knew enough to make use of it in a minor way. Most of her years spent training centered around her martial prowess and attaining Bankai. It was, perhaps, the main reason as to why she hadn't mastered or properly learned the art of Shunko. She wondered if she'd notice that. Either way, Rio decided to burst forward, punching through the discs on her way towards Yugiri.

Each of them hit her head on and she felt the sting but not enough to stop her from her charge. Rio's durability coupled with her Hakuda made her a formidable opponent but given that she didn't seem to possess the grace of Yugiri or the versatile skillset of techniques, it made for a unique contrast.

Rio shot forward again, performing a two-palm thrust strike towards Yugiri's abdomen. Her movements were somewhat compromised by the discs, giving Yugiri a chance to evade.

In that case, Rio would keep following her, utilizing shunpo to keep her from executing another spell. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if Yugiri would pick up on the fact that she chose not to counter the flash blossom's kido spell with one of her own, which would've drastically lessened the difficulty of her charge towards her sister.

No Kido? Yugiri wondered if it was because Rio was holding back or because she wasn't very good at it. Had she ever actually seen her practice any kido in her long training sessions when she spent hours working herself to the bone. Even after Rio declared she had attained Bankai, Yugiri couldn't say she had seen much beyond a basic showing. Maybe she was just holding back though? It was hard to guess.

Yugiri flipped backwards as Rio advanced, carrying on the motion while luring Rio into chasing her.

"Yugiridō #4: Ranjishigami."

She didn't stop flipping as she said the spell's name. She had led Rio to commit to much to her momentum and the fact she was flipping made it run straight towards the girl who was on her hands and preparing to flip again. Only this time her feet settled so she was crouched on all four. Yugiri's hair grew and sprang at Rio's fist to wrap around it, pulling her forward with the already established momentum before Yugiri kicked off and punched Rio square in the gut while locking away the use of one of her hands.

"I think I'm stronger than you unless you were using your zanpakuto.."

Yugiri said, partially as a taunt but also out of genuine consideration. Everything about the way Yugiri fought involved not using her zanpakuto out of fear from her childhood, against a shinigami who probably had more of their style involved in their zanpakuto and didn't have it on them. She might have a pretty substantial advantage.

Yugiri was a remarkably efficient fighter. There was no denying her skill. Rio would not overcome her in a spar through simply charging at her like a battering ram. From the outset of the battle, she utilized both her skill in Hakuda and Kido to keep Rio from landing a successful strike.

It was a sound strategy and reminded Rio that perhaps one day she should look into perfecting her own skills in the realm of kido. Perhaps such training would elevate her martial prowess to the level of a true master. To be certain, she knew enough to utilize a few techniques but they were far from anything Yugiri had been dishing out.

Indeed, as soon as the Shihoin Defender reached Yugiri's range, she performed an acrobatic flip and then yet another, luring Rio into a trap. Rio was not aware that this was her aim, hardly expecting Yugiri to perform a Kido spell involving her hair.


She landed on all fours, uttering another spell, as her hair sprang around Rio's fists, locking it in place. Unable to mount a proper counter, Rio grinned softly as Yugiri pulled her forward, striking her directly in the gut - to say nothing of the momentum she utilized before it - in the span of a single breath. She was truly a warrior to be admired. A small grunt escaped the Shihoin Defender's lips as she gazed at her sister.


"You really think so, Yugiri? I'd agree with you if it weren't for the fact that I still stand. It is true that I have focused too much of my attention on my Zanpakuto in the past and experiencing your form of combat here... Ah, it makes me wish to indulge myself in the art of Kido. That said, sister, I wouldn't claim victory just yet! "


A large burst of spiritual pressure would emit around her body as she applied the pressure in order to force her sister away. If that proved ineffective, she would utilize her legs to sweep at her feet or simply remain in this position until she could come up with a strategy that would allow her to gain an upper hand in this spar.

She was clearly out of her realm in kido but what she lacked there, she just as easily made up for in Hakuda and a durable frame as strong as iron. She'd certainly make the best of those attributes here.

There was a small cock to her head while she thought, when the counter in the form of releasing her greater levels of reiatsu came, she opted to her to kick off and utilise her shunpo to appear a couple of metres away. How to go about this, Rio's stamina was a problem when Yugiri had less reiatsu to make use of and a heavy focus on kido.

"You should go refresh yourself at the academy with it sometime then."

She didn't give Rio an inclination as to when she was acting next, instead Yugiri would just reappear in front of her sister with a single flash step and take the least expected route one would expect from Yugiri. Brute force. Her reappearance was one of action, her fingers to lightly touch at Rio's but still send her flying towards the wall with Tsukiyubi.

Rio was durable, that made it really problematic to try and wittle away at her so then she'd try and utilise the full extent of her hakuda to try and do as much damage as possible."Mōryū". She gave it a moment to make sure that it was okay to do so and if Rio had trouble recovering then she took off to hopefully appear directly in front of a Rio moments from hitting a wall before helping her into the wall of the training area with her feet plowing into her gut and delivering a good deal of extra kicks directed at her body into the wall.

Her strikes were mostly centred on her torso and aiming for vulnerable spots, she knew she was holding back though. If it was someone else she might make an attack to a more vulnerable bit like the groin or breast, let alone all the sensitive organs in the stomach but her attacks were quite shallow and only trying to cause her just enough pain to be unable to act.

Rio probably wasn't the person she should be going easy on though and Yugiri's body was being pulled back to the ground from gravity. If Rio didn't stop her assault then she'd eventually have to catch herself and flip away again.

"Perhaps! I'll set things up but right now, none of that matters. Continue to come at me with all that you have. We'll see whose skill emerges victorious today. Martial prowess or the versatility of Hakuda infused with Kido...?! Ah, I have nothing but admiration for your skills so far! Yugiri! I'm so excited! Don't hold back on me, okay!?"

Perhaps between the expression of uncontained glee and her wild grin - an expression uncharacteristic of the Shihoin Aegis - one might've found themselves quite unsettled by her change in mood but in Rio's mind, she was nothing short of proud and excited at the way the events of the battle would play out. Her sister was no pushover and the elation she felt at knowing that was infinite. Yugiri deserved to be admired, though she would never admit it herself.

For what else, then, having soared beyond the trials she endured as a child. The training it took to get to this point. Would she push the woman to the edge and force her to use her full arsenal? She started laughing at the thought of how much fun she was having, a burst of childlike laughter escaping her lips as Yugiri reappeared before her, aiming to bring her down with an unexpected strategy. Brute force.

The thought humored Rio somewhat but rather than merely allow Yugiri the opportunity to use her as a punching bag, the Shihoin Aegis utilized yet another burst of Reiatsu, as it flowed out through her body. A body with the attributes of iron and her potent spiritual energy would likely erase the impact Moryu could truly cause on her body. She wouldn't go flying backward again. She stumbled back ever so slightly, to give off the illusion she had been disoriented again.

Remaining stationary, she bided her time until Yugiri appeared before her again. spiritual energy generated around the entirety of her body as her aura pulsated. Without her Zanpakuto, her spiritual energy and hakuda prowess would be the keys to victory. She swung her fists forward, performing yet another two-palmed strike. Whether or not it would send her flying or even land successfully would be up to whatever Yugiri next, but then, even if she did...

Rio would delve into her advanced skill in flash step, appearing at various angels to test her sister's reaction time. Though a few steps away from Soifon or Yoruichi - formidable warriors who could create afterimages in their wake - Rio was fast enough to disappear and appear again, bursting toward her enemy, overwhelming them with her martial prowess. She predicted Yugiri might be faster but simply sitting around like a duck would be disrespectful to Yugiri in the eyes of the Shihoin Shield.


From a barrage of punches to a series of roundhouse kicks, with an elbow or a knee strike layered in, Rio was finally assuming the role of the offensive... for now, at least. Her sister was full of surprises. Rio wanted to see just how many she was hiding away in her arsenal...